OPTIMALISASI ZAKAT DALAM EKONOMI ISLAM

Zulfan Efendi Hasibuan

Abstract

As a pillar of Islam, zakat is the economic foundation of moslems. The distribution of zakat for productive activities has certainly brought positive impacts on the national development. Also, zakat has been the main capital of the lower economic society. In the Islamic economic discussion, zakat promotes the justice values focusing on the micro economy. As the social instrument, zakat plays an important role in the moral and social-based economic development. As Mannan points out that zakat is built upon the five principles namely faith, productivity, logical reasoning, easiness, and truth. This writing reveals the role of zakat in the history and its contribution for ritual worship as well as the moslem’s prosperity, particularly for the mustahiq, those who receive the zakat. The question remains is whether zakat is believed as the asset of socio-economic growth or as a mere Islamic ritual. Another question is about the management of zakat which should be productive rather than consumptive. This writing deals with the discussion of zakat as an Islamic ritual which is inherent with socio-economic context. This writing uses the comparative approach between normative principles (al-Qur’an and Hadits) and its socio historical implication.